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Bye into the second round

Posted at18:24

Celtic, who will feature in the Champions League qualifiers, and Europa League qualifying participants Aberdeen, Rangers and St Johnstone all have a bye into the second round.

At the group stage, there are four 'north' groups and four 'south' groups. There are 38 teams from the Scottish Professional Football League, who organise the League Cup, as well as Highland League champions Buckie Thistle and Lowland League winners East Kilbride.

Each group will contain one top seed, a second seed and three unseeded teams, with seedings based on league position in season 2016-17.

Drawn matches at the group stage go straight to a penalty shootout after regulation time, in which case both sides take a point and the shootout winner receives a bonus point.

Dundee and Dundee United are seeded differently in the north section and, like Hearts and Hibs, could be drawn in the same group.